FOREST FILM FEST

A night to remember, May sixteenth 2004, the ballroom at the Greenwood Inn, Beaverton Oregon: Aspiring filmmakers from across the globe joined with Oregons champions of local film and video and industry supporters to celebrate the winners of the inaugural Forest Film Fest. Mike Shkolnik accompanied the celebration of winners and delighted guests as Charlie Chaplin while everyone enjoyed a smorgasbord of hors doeuvres and music provided by the Greenwood Inn, a local mainstay in support of the industry. Handsomely designed one-of-a-kind award statues were created by local artist, Rob Roy, and were presented to the top films in each of the five categories; short fiction, experimental, documentary, animation, and student film.
It was an honor and a pleasure to witness local industry leaders awarding the proud winners. Lake Oswego filmmaker Brian Kerr impressed the judges with his experimental short, Stall. Dave Born, Vice President and Creative Director of Think HMH, the advertising firm responsible for much of the promotion of the film festival, presented the award for the experimental short. Another Oregonian, Aaron Douglas showed his true colors in a black and white documentary entitled, My Days of Awe and Grief, Part one: Dirk and Me. Benn Dixon and Jeff Tennant of Youboard.com presented him with the award for best documentary. City Repair by local filmmaker Jason Porath, received honorable mention in that same category. Second place winner in the short fiction category, Samara Paysse, director of Fluffy, was accompanied by many out of town guests and crew who enjoyed the festival and witnessed Juliana Lukasik of @ Large Films present her the award.
Other speakers included Veronica Rinard, Executive Director of the Oregon Film and Video Office, Howard Lavine, Governor Ted Kulongoskis advisor for Arts and Culture in Oregon, Dona Jennison, Executive Director of the Oregon Media Production Association and local Casting Director Karen LaVoie. Other winners in attendance included the cast and director of honorable mentioned winner, Ezra by Jonah Salander of Texas whose supporters traveled from as far as Quebec, Canada to attend the festival. The master of ceremonies, Dantes Reyes, of Brand Name Productions, presented the awards for the Honorable Mention category.